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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

First Fertility Clinic Appointment Tomorrow

964 replies

dogmam · 04/01/2021 18:07

Me and my partner have our first appointment with our fertility clinic tomorrow!

We went to the GP after a year of TTC and after 21 day bloods and partners SA, we were referred straight away to the fertility clinic. GP tests were in October/November so it's moved along quite quickly so far.

Feeling slightly nervous but also excited to hopefully get some help! My partners SA showed low motility and morphology so I assume that will be discussed..
What else should i expect from this first appointment? Is there anything I should be asking?

Thanks in advance! I'll update this after the appointment tomorrow as I know there are a few others on here who are in a similar position and might find it useful.

OP posts:
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Juno231 · 15/06/2021 10:26

@thislittlebird interesting about the mucus blockage! Hopefully that means you're in with a better chance whilst waiting for ART to kick off. What's the next step?

Tillybabs · 15/06/2021 10:39

@thislittlebird that is interesting about the mucus blockage. Did they say what causes that?

Hopefully that will help now it has been cleared.

Myfavouritefudgecake · 15/06/2021 10:41

@thislittlebird on a podcast I listen to they do mention a few times that chances are higher during the couple or months after a hycosy. Hope that’s the case for you!

thislittlebird · 15/06/2021 12:41

@Juno231 yeah, no idea how long it’s been there so hard to say if it’s had a negative effect. Next steps is waiting for the Mr Ramsay results and then booking follow up appointments.

@Tillybabs she just said it was discharge so I guess it can happen over time? Not sure but I’m going to have a google

@myfavouritefudgecake I hope so too! With the progesterone and sperm issues though it may do bugger all but we’ll give it a go.

Kay00 · 17/06/2021 08:16

@thislittlebird I'm sorry the HyCoSy was uncomfortable and prolonged Sad to be honest it sounds a little bit traumatic Sad. It's good news that your tubes are open and you are producing a good number of follicles, lets hope @Myfavouritefudgecake is right!

I'm CD2 (I think.... I'm having a very strange period that doesn't seem to know whether its coming or going?) and the doctor should call me back today to book my HyCoSy ... eeek!

Juno231 · 17/06/2021 09:54

Gah so my 9am call just never happened? I've emailed her secretary but am worried I will have to reschedule and wait eons again...

Kay00 · 17/06/2021 10:01

....!!??

thislittlebird · 17/06/2021 10:05

@Juno231 oh no, that sucks. do you think they got confused with your appointments or something? you thought it was a weird time for the appointment before, right? Like too early or something?

@Kay00 yeah it wasn’t much fun but it’s done now. The antibiotics knocked me for six afterwards. If it helps I can say it didn’t hurt, as long as they’re being slow and careful. She said she’d go slowly because I told her I was anxious but I can imagine not all doctors are as accommodating.

Juno231 · 17/06/2021 10:38

So they called 71 min late in the end and it was so shit lol. Purely a recap of my current situation/lap results... what's the point of that?

She said next steps would be IVF but that it's very invasive and they'll only consider it once 2 years have gone. How long have you been trying she then asks me - I point out 2 years is next month (per their records anyway lol, they don't need to know I'll only be 20 cycles in then) and she went "oh, well I guess I could refer you to the funding assessment".

I asked for her to get that process rolling and asked what the timelines are (seeing as I was worried I might have to postpone it due to the new job) and she said it takes a month to just get the paperwork and then they follow an 18 week pathway for IVF but it might be longer due to covid... so def getting that ball rolling now!

myfavouritefudgecake · 17/06/2021 10:45

ah @juno231 that does sound pointless. Feels like you're banging your head against a brick wall.

Update from me: spoke to the clinic yesterday about switching to private. The woman on the phone (receptionist) was probably the most helpful person I've spoken to so far. She said that I should wait until I've done my NHS hycosy in a few weeks because I'm entitled to that on NHS and they'd just have to do it privately anyway. Then I get a follow up appointment and to discuss getting discharged from the NHS then and going private.

Kay00 · 17/06/2021 11:22

@Juno231 bummer! So you're looking at 5 months+ before you start IVF. Are you still considering paying for a private cycle, or do you think you will wait until the winter and try IVF on the NHS then? I suppose that would fit will if you are looking for a new job?

Juno231 · 17/06/2021 11:35

@kay00 ha you and OH asked the exact same thing. I think we'll see if I do get a job offer. If not then he's keen to try private whilst waiting for the NHS. If I do get an offer then the timeline works quite well. So I'll keep you posted!

I asked if they did a follicle count at my last US btw and she said they don't do them as standard. Oh well.

@Myfavouritefudgecake gosh that's good of her to say that! Nice to have a plan/next steps laid out like that.

Kay00 · 17/06/2021 14:34

@Juno231 Yes, please keep us posted - and good luck in any jobs you apply for!!

I have been booked in for my HyCoSy... on Tuesday 22nd at 09:30! Eeek, its so soon! If yesterday was CD1 then I will be on CD7 on Tuesday. I asked her what happens if I am still on my period (as I previously had a 9 day period!) and she said it's no problem 'we're used to it'... haha lovely!

thislittlebird · 18/06/2021 17:05

Jfc what was the point of that @Juno231. Fingers crossed it’s quicker than 18 weeks. So have they not done a follicle count yet?

Are you not allowed private where you are? My CCG guidance says two private rounds don’t void the nhs one but yours might be quite different @myfavouritefudgecake

@Kay00 hycosy! Good luck, I hope you’re blockage free!

Original poster
dogmam · 18/06/2021 20:06

@thislittlebird I bet you're pleased you now have the Hycosy ticked off the list and can focus on the results from Dr Ramsay. Also good AFC which is only a good thing.

@juno231 you did say you had a feeling the appointment might not be up to much. At least you've got the ball rolling for treatment, are you just waiting for correspondence from them now?

@myfavouritefudgecake good of the receptionist to tell you to take advantage of the Hycosy on the nhs, maybe see what they say at the follow up of that because once all of my investigations and tests were done it's went really quickly.

@kay00 ah so just next week for your Hycosy then, not long to wait!

I got a letter through the door inviting me to book my smear.. so I rang the GP surgery and the next appointment wasn't until when I'll be right in the middle of treatment which apparently you're not to have a smear when having ivf. So I explained this to the receptionist and she was so rude, I asked her if I should just not bother getting my smear then and she eventually somehow found an appointment next week.. so I have that to get me used to what's to come I suppose.

OP posts:
thislittlebird · 18/06/2021 22:34

@dogmam yeah I’m glad it’s done now, less pleased about the bill incoming. It’s so disappointing the nhs didn’t offer me any of this stuff really. The AFC is where all my hope lies right now 😬.

Doctor’s receptionists are really mean, more so now than ever. I need to book a smear soon.

Juno231 · 19/06/2021 09:08

@dogmam gosh what another prime example of a nasty receptionist!

I thought you had to be up to date with your smear before ivf ladies so make sure to get that sorted.

I got that job offer i wanted so maybe 18-22 weeks wait is no bad thing!

Original poster
dogmam · 19/06/2021 16:23

@juno231 ah congrats! Some positive news that can hopfully take your mind off things x

OP posts:
thislittlebird · 19/06/2021 21:23

@Juno231 yeah I have a list as long as my arm of tests I need to get done, including a smear. Mine is due anyway so good timing.

Congrats on the job! I totally would have moved jobs by now but didn’t want to lose my benefits, it’s a good maternity package and I would like to access that.

Kay00 · 20/06/2021 22:12

Hi ladies! Hope you all had a relaxing weekend? I have a super busy week ahead: I have a new starter joining my team and I'm making two people redundant... all in one day! Joy! 😑 I'm really not looking forward to Monday. AND I have my HyCoSy first thing on Tuesday.

My question is... Will I be up for walking to the post office after my HyCoSy? I have some errands to run (including collecting my elderly neighbours pension) and I'm not going to get many other chances to leave my desk next week. Or will I be too sore to be walking around afterwards?

thislittlebird · 21/06/2021 07:41

@Kay00 hey, I don’t envy that Monday 🙃. You should be fine to walk to the post office after the hycosy, I walked around London after. They told me I had to sit down for a little while though, said it can hurt afterwards. It did hurt afterwards but it was worse in the afternoon for me. Cramps and migraine kicked in, assuming the migraine was my body being overwhelmed by antibiotics but I don’t know for sure, it was all very PMS.

Kay00 · 21/06/2021 08:15

@thislittlebird Thank you. I won't be walking too far as I'll probably park my car quite close to the post office. It's Monday... eek! Wish me luck!

Juno231 · 21/06/2021 09:08

@kay00 I would have been fine to do errands afterwards - I'd recommend wearing a pad though as the dye might make a comeback in your pants otherwise.

Ouch to your job tasks today - will it be harder to swing the redundancies if you have a new hire joining?

thislittlebird · 21/06/2021 09:37

@Juno231 there wasn’t any dye for me, interesting. I wonder what happened to that 🤨

Juno231 · 21/06/2021 10:06

@thislittlebird bermuda triangle foof? No but seriously, some don't seem to notice it but I've read stories of others going for restaurant dinners afterwards and soaking through the dress...